Cabinet bedstead



(No Model.)

l 3 Sheefs-Sheet 1. E. S. HALL.

CABINET BEDSTEAD. No. 328,214.

Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

11.S.H11LL.

CABINET BEDSTEAD.

No. 328,214. Patented 001. 13, 1885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. S. HALL. GABINBTBBDSTBAD. No. 828,214. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

N. PETERS. Phumuthagnpher. wnshmgwn. ILC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD SPENCER HALL, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

CABINET-BEDSTEAD.

PECIECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,214, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed June l5, 1885.

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD SPENCER HALL, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cabinet-Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the articles of furniture commonly known as cabinet77 or folding beds or bedsteads, and which comprise an upright cabinet or case, which receives the bedstead or bed when not in use, and from which the bedstead or bed is moved outward or opened when desired for use.

As heretofore most commonly constructed the bed or bedstead of such an article of furniture has been pivoted or hinged in the cabinet or case,so as to swing upward and into the cabinet or case when not in use, and outward and downward from the cabinet or case when desired for use, and heavy counterbalance weights or springs have been connected with the hinged part, so as to facilitate its adjustment.

Important objects of 1ny invention are to dispense with all counterbalance-weights, and to provide a bedstead which may be readily folded and packed within a cabinet or case when not required for use, but which is selfsupporting when in use, and may, if desired, be entirely detached from the cabinet or case and moved to any position desired, leaving the cabinet or case free for use as a closet' or cupboard, or for containing any desired articles.

In carrying out my invention I provide bearers or tracks, which may be adj usted into horizontal positions at opposite ends of the cabinet or case, and upon which the bedstead is supported by a roller or slide at each end, so that the bedstead will be balanced on t-he rollers or slides to permit of its being swung into ahorizontal position,and drawn outward along the bearers or tracks to arrange it for use, or into a vertical position to be received in the cabinet or case. The bedstead also has a folding headboard and foot-board and folding pairs of legs, the two pairs of legs being so connected,respectively,with the head-board and foot-board thatby taking hold of theheadboard it and one pair of legs may be folded simultaneously, and by taking hold of the footboard it and the other pair of legs may be simultaneously folded; and I prefer also to so Serial No. 168,667. (No model.)

connect the hinged and folding head-board and its pair of legs and the footboard and its pair of legs with a hand-lever that both the head and foot boards and both pairs of legs may be swung or moved simultaneously.

The tracks or bearers on which the bedstead is balanced at opposite ends may be detachable from the cabinet, so that they can be placed securely in a horizontal position when it is desired to adj ust the bedstead for use, and packed within the cabinet when the bedstead is adjusted thereinto; but I prefer to hinge or pivot the tracks or bearers sothat they may swing in vertical planes, and to provide them with hinged legs for supporting their outer ends when swung into horizontal positions; and I prefer also to provide the tracks or bearers near their hinges with transverse arms, which are presented upward when the tracks or bearers are swung outward into a horizontal position, and against which the slides or rollers on the bedstead strike and act to swing the tracks or bearers into an upright position in the cabinetwhen the bedstead is folded and moved, and swung inward to bring it into an upright position within the cabinet.

The invention consists in novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a piece of furniture embodying my invention, representing the cabinet as closed with the bedstead within it. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the cabinet and the bedstead folded within it, one of the bookcase wings being represented as closed and the Vother as swung outward. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the cabinet with the bedstead folded within it. Fig. 4 is a similar section of the cabinet, but showing the folding tracks or bearers as swung outward into horizontal position, with the bedstead balanced upon them, and before the head-board, foot-board, and pairs of legs are swung into operative positions; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of Ico the bedstead alone, with the head-board, footboard, and pairs of legs swung into operative position and ready for use.

Similar letters of reference designate corre spending parts in all .the figures.

The cabinet may be of any desired ornamental construction adapted to the purpose for which it is intended. As here shown, it has a back, A, and sides A', connected rigidly together, and an ornamental base portion, A, and top portion, A3, as most clearly shown in Figs. l, 2, and 4.

The cabinet, if intended to simulate the appearance of a book-case, has at opposite sides bookcase wings or book-cases B B, which are tted complete with doors B, and contain shelves b, whereon books C may be placed, and these book-cases or wings are hinged vertically at a, so that they may be swung outward away from the front of the cabinet, as shown at the left hand of Fig. 2, or inward to partly close the front of the cabinet, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 2. Connected with these wings B at the top I have here shown a transom composed of sections B2 B3, the sec,- tions B2 being hinged at b to the book-cases or wings B, and the sections B3 being hinged at b2 to the sections B2, and adapted at their other ends to come together. I have also shown an upright stile, B, which extendsdownward from the transom-sections, and the lower end of which may just clear the base A2. The stile B4 may be, and is here shown as, verti, cally divided or composed of two upright sections or bars, which meet at the center when closed, and are attached one to each transom section B3.

Vhen the wings B are swung outward, as shown at the left hand of Fig. 2, the transomsections B2 B3 fold against the inner edgeand back of the wings, as also there shown, and when the wings are swung inward and closed, as shown in Fig. l, the transom-sections are adjusted into line, as shown in Fig; 1, and serve as supports for curtains or hangings B5, which inclose the front of the cabinet on opposite sides of the center stile, Bt. Panels might be substituted for the curtains B5.

The bedstead, as here shown, consists of side pieces, D, and end pieces, D', connected together to form a rigid frame-work, and the resting-surface here shown is formed by iieXible straps or bands c, supported by spiral springs c', which in turn are secured to crossbars c2, extending from side to side of the bedstead and secured to the side pieces, D.

The resting-surface for the mattress forms no part of'my invention, and any description of spring bedbottom or mattress may be secured or supported in or upon the rigid framework D D.

When the spring-supporting crossV bars c2 are employed, it is advantageous to have them .arranged at such distance from the ends ofthe bedstead that the wings B may swing clear of them and inward to the lower edges of the end pieces, D', as is best shown at the right hand of Fig. 2.

The bedstead has at the one end a headboard, D2, and at the other end a foot-board, D3, which are hinged or pivoted at d, the connection between the side pieces, D, and the head and foot boards being made by suitable hinge-plates d, and at the head and foot are pairs of legs E E', hinged or pivoted at e, the

connection between the pairs of legs and the side pieces, D, being made by suitable hingeplates, e. Both the hinge-plates d e may be recessed or sunken into the wood, if desired, and the connections described enable the head and foot boards D2 D3 and the pairs of legs E E to be folded inward :into an inoperative position, as best shown in Fig. 2, but also in Fig. 4, or swung outward into operative positions, as best shown in Fig. 5.

I have here represented the hinge-plates d e as connected by links d2, as best shown in Fig. 5, and F designates an adjusting-lever, fulcrumed at f to one of the side pieces, D, and connected on opposite sides of its fulcrum by rods f with the hinge-plates d, as shown in Fig. 5. By swinging the lever F upward in the direction of the arrow o, Fig. 5, the headboard and foot-board and both pairs of legs will be folded or swung inward to the positions shown in Fig'. 2, and by swinging the lever in the opposite direction the said parts `will be swung back into operative positions,

as shown in Fig. 5, and will be there held by engaging the lever F with a stop-pin or catch,

f2, as shown in Fig. 5.

I may dispense with the lever F and rodsf, and then the head-board and foot-board may be each folded separately by taking hold of them and moving them in the direction of the arrow s, Fig. 5, and, by reason of the link-connections d2, the accompanying pair of legs E or E will be swung or folded at the same time in the direction of the arrows s', Fig. 5. Although the link-connections d2 provide for swinging or folding the legs and foot or head board by taking hold of the said board', they do not act to lswingthe foot or head board when the force is exerted through the legs, because when a force is exerted on the legs in the direction indicated by the arrows s the line of force exerted through the link d2 falls inside the pivot d, as shown by the dott-ed lines s2 in Fig. 5, and simply tends to straighten or stiften the head or foot board; hence, if the legs be provided with casters, and be moved round on thefloor when detached from the cabinet, as will soon IOO IIO

appear, any side strain upon the legs will have no tendency to fold them, for such strain is resisted by the straightening of the head or foot board.

G designates tracks or bearers, which are in this example of my invention pivoted or hinged at g, as best shown in Fig. 4, to the sides of the cabinet, and the inner ends of which work in clips or guides'g when the tracks or bearers are swung downward and outward into horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4. This pivotal connection of the tracks G enables them to swing down into the position shown in Fig. 4, and up into the position shown dotted `in Fig. 3. They have near their pivoted inner ends transverse arms g2, which project upward when the tracks or bearers are in operative or horizontal position, and at their outer ends are upwardly-proj ecting stops or shoulders g3.

G' designates legs, which are pivoted at gr4 to the outer ends of the tracks or ways, and are connected by rods g5 to the sides A/ of the cabinet, so as to constitute a species of parallel motion, by which the legs G are brought to a position parallel with the tracks or bearers G when the latter are swung upward into the cabinet, and into operative position at right angles to the tracks or bearers when the latter are swung outward into horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In this example of my invention the only connection which the bedstead has with the cabinet or any part thereof is by means of rollers h, which are pivoted, as here shown, to the head and foot of the bed, near the cen ter of its width, and are flanged to hold them laterally on the tracks or bearers G. Upon these rollers 7i the bedstead is very nearly or quite balanced, as will be understood from Fig. 4:, and the bedstead may travel along on the tracks or ways when it is desired for use until the rollers h strike the stops g3, after which the head-board and foot-board and pairs of legs may be swung into operative position, and thereafter the bedstead will be entirely supported by its legs resting on the floor.

Then the bedstead is to be folded or adjusted into the cabinet, its head-board and foot-board and pairs of legs are rst folded, as shown in Fig. 4, and it is then run in on the tracks or bearers and against the arms g2 thereof. By the rollers 7L striking the arms g2,the tracks,bearers,or ways G are swung upward, and, if at the same time the outer edge of the bedstead be lifted or turned upward, it may be easily adj usted or turned to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the rollers h will rest on the arms g2 behind the pivots g, and so hold the tracks or ways G in their folded position,as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the upper ends of the tracks or ways being arrested by stop-pins g.

From the above description it will be seen that I do not employ any counter-weights because of the bedstead being balanced by the rollers h on the tracks or bearers G, and the simple act of pushing in and turning the bedstead is all that is necessary to fold it and the tracks or bearers G within the cabinet, while the simple act of turning the bedstead outward and pulling it out is all that is necessary to swing outward the tracks or bearers and to bring the bedstead to a horizontal position upon them.

After the bedstead is swung outward and the legs and head-board and foot-board adjusted for use, its rollers h may be lifted off the tracks or bearers, or if the legs are of pr)- per length they will, when straightened, lift the rollers h off the tracks or bearers, and the bedstead may then be pulled out enough for `a person to get behind the bedstead to make it up. If desired, the bedstead, when thus freed from the tracks or bearers, may be moved to any position away from the cabinet, and this provides for using the bedstead coutinuously in case of sickness, while the cabinet may be used as a cabinet or closet and book-case.

W'hen the head-board and footboard are swung or folded down, they hold the mattress and bed-clothes in place, and the latter will then be received with the bedstead within the cabinet, or they maybe packed away elsewhere or otherwise disposed of.

From the above description it will be seen that my improved article of furniture occupies but little room, and projects but little from the wall against which it may stand,and that the bedstead when in use is supported entirely upon the floor and has no tendency to tip the cabinet forward.

I am aware of Letters Patent No. 201,337, granted March 19, 1878, to V. Fay, and which show an upright cabinet containing on one side a bedstead which may be folded upward into it or extended horizontally for use, and having a door made in the form of a wardrobe hinged at one side of the cabinet, and serving to close the entire space in front of the bedstead when folded. This cabinet, because of the wardrobe front which closes entirely across the bedstead when folded, must be of considerably greater depth than my cabinet, and I do not seek to include such a construction in my invention.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with an upright cabinet and a folding bedstead arranged therein, of upright bookcase wings B, hinged at their outer sides, at a, to opposite sides of the cabinet, at the front thereof, so as to swing horizontally in opposite directions, and overlapping the bedstead when swung inward to partly close the front of the cabinet, each wing having a closed back and opening at the front to afford access to its contents, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with an upright cabinet and upright book-case wings hinged at a to opposite sides of the cabinet, at the front thereof, so as to swing horizontally outward in opposite directions, of a folding bedstead arranged within the cabinet, and in front of which the book-case wings lap when closed, the bedstead having springsupporting slats c2, which stand vertical when the bedstead is folded into the cabinet, and are arranged at such distance from the ends of the bedstead that the book-case wings in closing 4may swing inward past the slats, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with an upright cabinet and a folding bedstead arranged therein, of book-case wings hinged at their outer sides, at a, to opposite sides of the cabinet, at the front thereof, so as to overlap the bedstead when swung inward, a transom extending between the book-case wings when closed and ICO IIO

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composed of sections Bz B3, hinged together and to the book-case wings,'and curtains or panels connected with the hinged transomsections and closing the space between the book-case wings, substantially as herein described.

4t. rlhe combination, with an upright cabinet and tracks pivoted to the sides thereof and capable of being extended from and folded into the cabinet, of a bedstead balanced upon thetracks and adapted to turn on and to travel along the tracks in extending it for use, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, withan upright cabinet and movable tracks capable of extension horizontally therefrom, of a bedstead balanced upon the tracks and free to turn on and travel along the tracks, and pairs of folding legs at the head and foot of the bedstead, whereby it is, when in use, supported independently of the tracks, substantially as herein described.

6. The combination, with an upright cabi net and the tracks G, hinged to opposite sides thereof, and having the hinged legs G and the parallel rods g5, of the bedstead balanced on the tracks and arranged to turn on and travel along the tracks, substantially as herein described.

7. The combination, with an upright cabinet, of tracks G, hinged to the sides thereof, and provided adjacent to their hinges with arms g2, and a bedstead balanced on the tracks and arranged to turn on and travel along the tracks, whereby the tracks will be swung upward automatically by the action of the bedstead on the arins g2, substantially as herein described.

S. The combination, with a bedstead having a folding head-board and foot-board and folding pairs of legs at opposite ends, of direct connections whereby the pairs of legs are connected, respectively, with the head-board and foot-board, a handlever, F, and rods f, eX- 

